Rolling mill



July v25, 1933.

ROLLING MILL vFiled May 27, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l J. R. COE

ROLLING MILL July 25, 1933.

Filed May 27, 1931 y 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 25, 1933. J. R; COE 1,919,202

ROLLING MILL Filed May 27, 1951 4 sheets-sheet 3 J.R. coE

ROLLING MILL July 25, 1933.

Filed May 27. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l' I lll gin/mtu MA dttomu's, v

UNiTED 'STATES a minimum of labor.'

means of effectively y1n comparatively thin Patented July 25,4 1933Lunnis n. COE, OF WATERBOR- Y, CONNECTICUT, AssI'GNOR PATENT-foulerj -TOTHF.v AMERICAN BaAss V COMPANY, OF WATERBURY;CONNECTICUILA CORPORATIONor,CONNECTICUT ROLLING MILL A Applicamn and` kai? 27.

` This inventionrelates to rolling mills, partilcularlyy rolling millsfor'rolling strips of flat metal which can be wound or coiled on soolsorrecls to facilitate handlingfand an oliject of the invention is toprovideasimple handling this metal .in heavy c oilsto and. from therolling mill with this metal which will protect both the edgers andsurface of the metallfrom damage and waste that would naturally occur ifthe metal A gauges were transported and handled in open coils Without,protection.

l lar value in connection with fourl'iigl'i,l and 'tof mill, but maytype of rolling mill.

yerations, and it is also of Athe ability of a In the accompanyingdrawings I have connection with i substantially on llinep2-2 of whichthe metal can be passed through the rolls many times Withoutintermediate Aannealing and cleaning Opsimilar rolling mills in rollingcoils of 4 man to lift or carry. u

shown the device as used in y a four-high rolling mill, but of course itis not necessarily limited to use with be used `with any similar lVththe-.foregoingand other objects in Vview the invention consistsincertain novel features of construction, arrangement of devices', andmethod of handling the metal, as

will be more Afully disclosed in connection with theraccompanyingdrawings. .In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view. showing somevvhat diagrammatically thearrangement.. of the devices in connection with a rolling mill forvhandling the metal to advantage;

2 is a detailed verticalysection taken Fig. 3 is a side elevationlooking fromthcI right ofF ig. 1 and with parts of the `roll showninsection; i 1

- Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the Winding f Fig.

mechanism, and showing the roll housings m section; f g

Fig. 5` is a vertical section through the rolls and a portion of thetransfer coil mechanism It is also an object of the invention to providea meansof handling This method and Vapparatus isof particu special valueVwhen great weight which is beyond this type `ldriven from the .ingmechanism by f for example as a chain grammatically` at 17 inFig.=4;operating The. drum 16 :is adapted .to carry areel 'or spool 20-On y which the metal is wound.` The i931. serial No.' 540,301.5. Y

i indicatingA the coil mechanismfin elevation;

1g. 6is a partial section. and apartial side `elevation of a coilingvdrum and transfer mechanism, the section beingsubstantiallyon linej6-6of Fig.f5; .f 1 i Fig. 7 kis a top plan view of atransfer car ythat may`be used; Y *1 f Fig. 8 is end elevation thereof; e

L gig. 9 is a top plan view-Of another car;

. Fig. 10 is an endviewfthereof. i

. They method and operationof' rolling the metal according to thisinvention. consistsin lst.v Winding the metalon heavy. spools or j reelsas it leavesthe rolling mill'` v emoving the .loaded spool. from the .v2nd. R Winding Vblock and i v 3rd. Receiving aneempt storage and placingit on t The above operatiOns-all-take place on the `back or deliveryside-Of therolls.

or shaft to a vstorageftrack;

spool Yfrom ,-the

Y y 4th. Unwinding the `metalgfrompa,spool or reelrotatably mounted onatransfer'car;

place `the empty spool in a storage space' and 6th,.l Receiving alloaded spool from storage space and transferring 1t: to the properposition in front of the rolls. y

. .l These later Operations take place onV the front or receiving sideof. the rolls...`

veferring more particularly to'i'FigL-` ,1, a

rolling mill is indicatedat 1-1.l 'The mill .shown is a fourhigh millhaving relatively .large backing rolls 12. for `the relatively smallworking rolls `13 `suitably .mounted in .bearings in the housing 14,with thework rolls driven .fromany suitablemeans notshown, throughcouplings indicated rvdiagramatically at 15. 1 Tothe rearo the rolls isa winding drum any suitable means such drive indicated ydiathrough afriction clutch y18.v

L 'dri-,ve for the .shaft 19 'is arranged to drive the spool at` asomewhat higher surface speed than -thesure winding drum..

5th. Then moving thgtransfer car back to.

roll 'shaft or the'roll `drivis indicated at Q3'i'n Fig.

spool after it from this track and storage track Q8 in alignment withthe roll- `second vstorage track ..-adapted to support a of the. workingrolls so as to hold and taut. andto Wind it tightly on the spool. theclutch being adapted to compensate for this higher surface speed. brakemechanism Q1 may be provided to stop rotation of the shaft 19 and theloaded face speed the metal straight b v releasing the clutch 9.2, sothat after a spool is filled bringing itto rest'so that it can beremoved from the winding drum. The Winding mechanism and the means forremoving theloaded spool and'placing an empty spool in its place on thewinding drum willbe more fully described later.

Thisspool removing and transfer deviceI 1, and it is adapted to transfera loaded spool from the full line. position in backof the roll shown inF ig. 1 to a position in alignment `\vith the storage track Q-Lrunningat substantially right, angles to the path of movement of the transferdevice.v Thus this transfer mechanism Q3, after removing the filledspool from the winding drum 16. transfers it to the end of the storagetrack 24 o'n-to which it may be easily rolled from this transfer deviceas indicated in dotted lines at 20 in Fig. Q. This storage track can bemade ofany length desired so as to hold at one time as many spools asitis found l desirable. "This track 24 is for storing loaded Atone sideof it and between it andI spools. the rolls is a parallel storage trackstoring empty spools 20e-a.

"At the rear end of the'storage track 24 is a cross transfer track 26 onwhich isa transfer mechanism such as a transfer car 27. This car maybemoved to alignment with the rear .end of the track 24 to receive aloaded spool transfer it to the for ing mill 11. At the forward end ofthis the rolls is a second transfer track 29 leading between the frontend of the storage track 28 `and the rear end ofthe storage track 25..for the empty spools. Movabler in this transfer track 29 is a conveyormeans for empty spools which is valso loaded spool or reel while' themetal is being unWound 4therefrom to pass' through 4the rolls. mechanismmay be of any'suitable type, but

is shown as a car 30 carrying rollers 31 on which the flanges of thespool or reel may rest, or the surface of the wound metal may besupported, to permit the spool or coil to turn while the metal is beingunwound therefrom.f Then this car-.1s in the position o f Fig. 1 aloadedspool may be rolled on to it from the storage tfack 2S, and afterthe metal f has been removed from this spool the car 30 Mmay be-shiftedon the transfer track Q9 to a position in lalignment with the rear endof the-storage track 25 so that the empty spool is disconnected from thedrive.

a. minimum of time is lost in Y .flush with the outer surface of the fmembers may 28 audbetween it and 4when the arms eve rytlnng 1s clearabout thespool to permit This transfer may be rolled from this car on tothis storage space or track. Any suitable guide rolls 32 and 33 may beprovided to guide the metal from thc'spool on the transfer mechanism 30to the inlet side of the rolls.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 5 and `f`- it will be seen thatthe winding and blocking mechanism comprises a drum 16 mounted on ashaft 19y (Fig. 4) driven as above described.y This block is provided inits surface \vith a plurality of longitudinal keyways or grooves 34 toreceive a key or similar driving means 35 on the inner surface lof vthelreel voi-spool 36. In the present instance the members 35 areshouldered studs riveted'to the body of the reel so as to project inwardly from the inner surface thereof and extendinto one of rthekeyvvays 34, but lie spool so as not to mar the surface of the metalWound thereon. The spool valso has fianges"37-`at its opposite ends toguide the metal during the' winding and unwinding operations, vand alsoto protectthe edges of the metal during handling.

' Asthe metal comes through the rolls 13 it is guided by the guides 38and 39 to the guide members and 41 of the winding and blockingmechanism, which as shown `in dotted lines Fig. 5 extend around andembrace the body of the spool, and as the. strip of metal indicated bythe dot and dash line 42 passes between these members and the spool itsfree end is guided around the s ool -Whichis being rotated by its drivevme@ anism, and after that is overlapped a few times, the guide beremoved from thespool to the full line position and the stripWillcontinue tobe'l lwound around the spool. The guide members 40 andVreduce the friction of the metal and assist in causing the free endtolbe wrapped around the spool and prevents its marring the surface ofthe metal. The guide member 40 is pivoted pivoted at '45 on'suitableshafts which are connected by the gear segments 46 and 47 so that theymove together. It will be seen that are in their full line position theuse of the means to Withdraw the filled spool from the drum to transferit to a storage space,'and to permit mounting of an empty spool on 'thedrum.

The body of the spool 36 is purposely made of a large vdiameter toenable it to hold a considerable weight of metal without.v materialdifference between the inside land outside diameters of the coil toreduce? the amount of slippage in the friction 'clutch 18 to a minimum,and to maintain a practically'uniform tension on the meta-l'duringtherolling and coiling operation. As this spool or reel must be vof veryheavy construction to withstand the crushing effect-of the metal -f 41carry rolls 43 which i .i

wrapped veryftightly around it, andalso toi resist flange wear caused`by the rolling durf1 ing the transfer and .unwindingv operations,.

, vious rolling or annealing operation: 1in man to lift or carry themeven when empty, -and mechanical means istherefore provided forhandlingbothempty and loaded spools.

they are soheavy that .itv is impossible for a or reels to and from thewinding and unwindlng positions atthe rolls.. .i

mechanism 23including a car indicated-,asp

. For loading an empty spool `or reel on to the `winding drum andremoving a loaded spooll from this drum I. employ a transfer a whole at48 which is `arranged to slide back and forth to and from the: windingdrum., This car has wheels '49 running in tracks 50.1

and is actuated by any suitable means, such as an air cylinder 51operatinga piston con. nected to a piston rod 52 which `is in turnvconnected to the car atl 53. The. air to the cylinder 51 may becontrolled by -any suitable valves, not shown, to shiftthe car back andforth on its track. The car'carries a pro-` jecting horn 54 on which ismounted a pair Y of rollsl 5H, the -horn and rolls beingdesigned toclear the arm 41 of the blocking mechanism when in the full lineposition "of Fig. 5. The rolls 54`a support the reel or spool 36 byhaving the edges of the flanges '37 run on the rolls, and permit thespool to be rotated to bring the key members 35 in alignment with anyone of the keyways 34.

in the winding drum. The car-38 isfurther provided Witha .push platel 55adapted to` engage the endof the spoolor reelto push` it on to the blockor drum 16, and the car also carries a pulling hook adapted to en-``gage over the flange ofthe spool for pullingr a loaded spool from thedrum. This'hookl may be provided with a slot 57'to receive the hinge pin58 to permit the hook to be lifted and drawn out of operating positionwhen desired. 1

It is to be noted that withdrawal of the` l 2After which, themetalbeingstill onspools.r4

car 48 from the positions of Figs. 5 and 6 downwardly as viewed in Fig.1, or tothe left as viewed in Fig. 6, will draw the filled end of thestorage track 24. In this position the filled spool may be merely rolledfrom the car 48 on to the vstorage track 24. This'car 48 can now beadvanced toza position in front of the storage 25 'for the emptyspoolsand one of them can be rolled on to the car.n `The car can then beadvanced to place th'is empty i spool on the drum 16,'and then afterthelcar has been Withdrawn the vcoiler mechanism 40 comparatively heavygauge -or `any gauge which it is desired to roll coiled on the'spools,

preferably to approximately the same outside same manner. `which therolled metal-has been wound can be withdrawn from this drum'by thetransfer' :mechanism 23 and 24 as `above described.

diameteras thev spool anges', will bedelivl' ered to this rollingmillbyfoverhead crane .or other conveying apparatus from .theV pre batches:containing somewherey `between '20 28 and While the lspooluis supportedonthe car 30 the flanges run 4on the rollslpermitting the metal toreadily unwind from the'spooliasl Vltpasses intothe rolling mill.The'transfer lmechanismv suchas the car 30 can now be -used to 'transferthis empty spool 'from the osition in front of the rolls to aposition inront- -o'therear end of theempty :spoolfstorage `track 25, and thespools merel .irolled from this car on to this storage trac tofawait itsturn in receiving anothermcoil `of. metal.

Transfer car 30` can thenbe returned-to thel `full line position of Fig.1in 'alignment with .the front'of thefrolls 13 and the storage track 28where anotherilled spool can be Vrolled on. toit and the metal therefromrolled inthe The spool on the drum 16 kon placed in.y the storage. trackAfter amener@ batch oft-oils fait metal `has been passed through therolls and wound "oni spools as described, the rolls 13 can beset oradjusted for the-next operation during a., which the strips ofmetal willbe successively unwound from one loaded spoolon to another spoolv untilthe entire batch has been rolled a` second time and this. operationofrolling from spool to spool inbatches will be repeatved as often asmay be necessary to reduce'the y thickness of the metal to any desiredApoint.

los.

will again be transferred by a crane `or other conveyor 4mechanism to*anydesired place inv the mill where it may be unwound from the spoolsand passed'through the'next operation,

which may be any desired, such for example as, annealing,:slittin'g, orflattening'` and cutting to lengths etc, theempty spools in any ncase-being returned to therolling mills for further loading,

It is tobe noted'` that inthe aboveo rationy the-spools of `eachbatchare-l'oade' on the storage .track 24 and then fork the next rollingoperation' after resetting the rolls of `the rolling mill, they .aretransferred yfrom this' Istorage track to the storage track 28 by meansvof-transfer mechanism at the rear end of the storage `tracky 24, suchasthe transfer car 27.

From storage track 28the loaded spools are rolled in succession on tothe,transferanldv supporting mechanism `BO-byfwhich they A are l i heldwhen the metal is being unwound from the spools. The empty spool iscarried by thislcar to a position in front of the storage track forempty spools. Metal unwound ".from the spools lin front of Ythe rolls.from car V,is wound on the spool on the drum 16.

in frontof storage track 25 to receive there-` from an empty spool whichis carried by this car and placed on the drum 16. Thus the cycle isrepeated as many times as required A as.

' easilyirolled from one to the ot for the entire batch of spools orcoils.`

VAs intimated above various type of transfer mechanism vmay be -used fortransferrlng.

the loaded spools froi'n'the storagetrack 24 to the storage track Q8,and for transferring the empty -spools from the position in front of therolling mill to the storage trackQ.- However, the cars 27 and 3() haveproven satisfac tory. Car 27 -as shown comprises merely a suitablestructural steel construction involving a-platform 59 of about the levelof the tracks 24 and 28 so that the s y ools maybe 1er. A block 60prevents the spool from rolling off the car, and a removable .block 61is provided tore- `tain it on the car'during the transfer operation. Therolls 31 on the transfer and spool holding car- 30vare preferablymountedon anti-frictional bearings 62 to facilitate as far as possiblethe unwinding of the metal from the spool. Although the tracks 26, 27and 28 as shown inl the drawings are arranged for having the coils orspools rolled by hand it will of course be evident that power drivenconveyors or any other suitable transferring .andsupporting mechanismmay be used.

It will be evident from the foregoing de scription that thisconstruction and arrange- Ament provides a simple method o f handlingmetal in heavy coils to and from a. rolling `mill with a minimum oflabor, and also that both the edges and the surface of the metal areprotected from damage and waste' that would naturally occur if the metalin comparatively thingauges were transported and handled in open coilswithout the protection offered by the spools or reels. l

, Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is: e

' 1. In a device of the character described, a rolling mill, means atthe outlet side of the mill for carrying and rotating av spool on whichto wind the metal after being rolled,

separate storage means for loaded and empty A spools respectively at onesideof the mill,

means for transferring a loaded spool from the winding device to thefirst storage means, and means for` shifting said transfer means to aposition `to receive an empty spool from the second storage means andtransfer it'to ithe c Winding mechanism. U5 f 2. In a-'deviceof thecharacter described,

a. 'rolling mill. a winding mechanism at the outlet side of said millim-ludng'm'eans for support ing` andV rotating a spool on which the emetal iste-be wound, avstorage means for loaded spools extending at oneside of the 'milh a storage means for empty spools be ysecond storagemeans and deliver it to the winding mechanism. 3. In .a device of thecharacter described, a rolling mill, a winding mechanism at the outletlside of the mill including a rotatable drum having one or morelongitudinal grooves in its surface, a transfer,mechanism includingmeansl for rotatably carrying a spool adapted to be placed on said drum,said spool having means to enter one of said grooves to""` drive thespool, means for driving the drum i to wind metal on the spool, and saidtransfer mechanism including means to withdraw a loaded spool byshifting it longitudinallyI from thedrum and to then carry it to a givenlocation. i

4. In a device of the character described, a rolling mill, a windingmechanism atthe outlet side of the mill including a' support forrotating a spool on whichthe metal is to be wound as it leaves the mill,a storage means `for empty spools, a separate storage means Vfor loadedspools, movable transfer vmecha R00 msm for carrying an empty spool fromthe `first storage means and placing itv on the support, said .transfermechanism including meansfor withdrawing a loaded spool from the supportand earryingit to the second storage means, and means for operating thetransfer mechanism.` f j 5. In a device of thecharacter described, a.

e rolling mill, a winding' mechanism at the out'- let side of the millincluding a support for rotating a spool on which the metal is'to bewound as it leaves the mill, separable guide means to embrace the spoolto guide the free end of the metal strip around the spool, said 4guidemeans being movable away from the 115 spool, a storage means for emptyspools, a separate storage means for loaded spools, and transfermechanism for withdrawing a loadedspool from the winding mechanism andcarrying it to the second storage means and receiving an empty spoolfrom the first storage means and placing it inthe winding mechanism,said transfer mechanismbeing mounted to clear theguide means when theyAare .awayfrom thespool.

the mill, a second storave meansv for empty spools. transfer-meansloadedspjo'ol from thewinding'mechanismtol the first" storage n'ieansan'd 'transferring an empty spool from' .the fsecondf'storage means 'y etoV the .Winding"ineclian'isiii, 'nne'a'nns' f orfsupf` "poifinsaleldedi'nflf '$011 'fthe llt Sfide ef: "the' rollingiiiillto permit'lthe",metal-to bej vumvound:therefrom as it pss'esthrugh the,"mill,ineansifor'Y transferring a loadedA spool"A 2 v; l

"7"'l1.In a .1n-etal rollinor device, a rolling from the first storagemeans to said supporting means, and means for transferring an emptyspool from said supporting meansrto the second storage means.

7. In a metal rolling device, a rolling mill, a winding mechanism at theoutlet side of the mill adapted to rotate a spool to wind the metalthereon as it leaves the mill, a storage means for loaded spools at oneside of the mill, a second storage means for empty spools, mechanism fortransferring a loaded spool from the winding mechanism to the firststorage means and for transferring an empty spool from the second storae means to the Winding mechanism, means or transferring a loaded spoolfrom the first storage means to a position in front of the rolls, andmeans :for transferring an empty spool from said latter position to thesecond storage means.

8. In a metal rolling device, a rolling mill, a storage means for loadedspools in line with the mill at the front side thereof, a storage meansfor loaded spools at one side of the mill, a storage means for emptyspools at one side of the mill, means for transferring load# led spoolsfrom the second storage means to the first storage means, and means forreceiving a loaded spool from the first storage means and sup orting itin front of the mill while the metal) is being unwound therefrom to passthrough the mill and for transferring l4-the empty spool to the thirdstorage means.

9. In a metal rolling device, a rolling mill, a storage means for loadedspools in line with the mill at the front side thereof, a storage meansfor loaded spools at one side of the mill, a storage means for emptyspools at one side of the mill, means for transferring loaded Y spoolsfrom the second storage means to the first storage means, means forreceiving a loaded spool from said first storage means and supporting itin front of the mill while the metal is being unwound therefrom to passthrough the mill and for transferring the empty spool to the third Storae means, means at the rear side of the mill or winding the metal or aspool as it leaves the mill, and means for transferring a loaded spoolfrom the winding means to the second storage means and an empty spoolfrom the third storage means to the winding means.

10. In a metal rolling device, a rolling mill, means at the rear of themill for winding strip metal from the millon fianged spools, a storagetrack for loaded spools at' or "transferring a f tlieniill'," andtransfer means for withdrawnglfa' loade'dispool" from thewinding meansfand v` delivering it; to.y they first 'storage track, Asaid`transfermeans being also capable of re- ".ceiving an empty'spool fromlthe second storf'age track andl delivering it4 to the winding mill,means at the rear of the mill for winding stri p -metal from the mill onflanged ,onenside ofthe millon which'the spools ma V "roll`l` n theirflan es, va" similarv storage traclstI spools, a storage track forloaded spools at one side of the mill on which the spools ma roll onltheir flanges, a similar storage trac for empty spools between thefirst track and the mill, transfer means for taking a loading spool fromthe winding means and delivering it to the first storage track and forreceiving an emptyspool from the second storage track and delivering itto the winding means, a third Storage track at the forward side of themill in alignment therewith, a cross transfer means for taking a loadedspool from the first track and delivering it to the third track, meansfor receiving a loaded spool from the third track and supporting itwhile the metal is unwound therefrom to pass through the mill, and asecond cross transfer means for carryingithe empty spool to the secondstorage trac 12. In a device for rolling metal, a rolling mill, 'a`rotatabledrum at the rear' of the mill for lcarrying a flanged spool towind the metal thereon as it leaves the mill, a transfer mechanismincluding a track and a car running thereon, rolls on said car mountedfor supporting a spool with its flanges resting on leo tudinalmovementthereon, and means or l shifting the car to Withdraw a loadedspool from the 'drum and to apply an empty spool thereto. v

13. In a device for rolling'metal, a rolling mill, a rotatable drum atthe rear of the mill for carrying a flanged spool to Wind the metalthereon as it leaves the mill, a transfer mechanism including a trackand a car running thereon, rolls on said car for supporting a spoolwithA its flanges resting on the rolls to turn thereon, an upright Wallcarried by the car at one end of said rolls adapted to engage an end ofa spool to force it onto the drum as the car moves toward the drum, amovable hook means mountedon the car to engage a flange of the spool toWithdraw it from the drum, 'and means for shifting the car to Withdraw aloaded spool from the drum and apply an empty spool thereto.

14. The lmethod of rolling metal which comprises delivering to a storagemeans adjacent the rolling mill a batch of loaded no v l isWonnd,`supporting the spools in snccession in front of the mill topermit the metal to be y unwo'und therefrom as'it'passes through themill, transferring empty flanged spools 1n y l succession from a storagespace to a winding I means 'at the iearof the lnlll'winding the emptyvmetal as it leaves the mill on `tofthe Y spools, transferring the latterspools from the winding means to astorage space, trans 10 ferring thevfilled spools from their storage space to the supporting means in frontof the mill, transferring the empty spoolsffrom the latter means to thestorage space for emptyspools, resetting the rolls of the mill after theentire bat-ch has been rolled, and then again passing the met-al throughthe reset mill by the same. manipulation of the loaded and empty spools.

JAMES R. COE.

